1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic image pickup apparatus, and in particular, to an arrangement of internal components for the miniaturization of the electronic image pickup apparatus by efficiently arranging an electrical board and a power supply battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, electronic image pickup apparatuses such as an electronic still camera have become popular. A camera of this type is constructed so that the camera may record an image signal, image information, and the like as outputted from an image pickup means such as a CCD.
In such an electronic image pickup apparatus, many electrical components are used. Among these electrical components, a large-sized electrical board is used as compared with those used in a conventional camera using a silver halide film.
In addition, it is common to use a plurality of dry battery cells as a power supply in a conventional electronic image pickup apparatus. Therefore, the space that these components occupy in the apparatus inevitably becomes large.
With respect to conventional electronic image pickup apparatuses, various apparatuses have been proposed, for example, the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-186768, and have been,put into practical use. In the apparatus as disclosed above, a battery chamber is arranged inside a holding part provided in an end part of the apparatus, a plurality of power supply batteries is contained therein, and a plurality of electrical boards are arranged at a different location from the battery chamber so that the plurality of electrical boards may be positioned parallel to an internal surface in the front side of the apparatus.
The size of an electrical board arranged inside an electronic image pickup apparatus is a major factor in determining the exterior size of the apparatus itself.
According to the conventional means disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-186768 and the like, a battery chamber is provided in an end part of the apparatus. Hence, it is not possible to arrange a large-sized electrical board and the like near this battery chamber.
In addition, according to the means disclosed in the publication, each member of the image pickup system, such as a picture-taking lens and an imager, is unitized and is arranged at a position independent from a body part of the electronic image pickup apparatus. Therefore, if this arrangement is adopted, there arises a problem that the apparatus becomes large-sized.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electronic image pickup apparatus that is actually miniaturized by efficiently arranging the internal components of the electronic image pickup apparatus.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an electronic image pickup apparatus that can be miniaturized without various essential functions of the electronic image pickup apparatus being impaired. Approaches for achieving this object are to sufficiently secure a space necessary for arranging components such as an electrical board inside the electronic image pickup apparatus, and to efficiently arrange a power supply battery inside a body of the apparatus without wastefulness.
Briefly, a first embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic image pickup apparatus that converts a subject image formed by an image-taking optical system into an electrical signal by using an imager. The apparatus comprises a plurality of electrical boards that have respective component sides parallel to a principal plane of the apparatus body and which have a flat shape and are arranged so as to be spaced apart at predetermined intervals, a plurality of power supply batteries arranged so that the axial direction of the plurality of power supply batteries may be parallel to the component sides of these electrical boards in a space sandwiched by this plurality of electrical boards, and a relay board that is arranged in a space between a lens barrel holding the image-taking optical system and the plurality of power supply batteries and connects the plurality of electrical boards.
In addition, a second embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic image pickup apparatus constructed according to the first embodiment of the electronic image pickup apparatus and further comprising a strobe flashing unit arranged on an upper surface of the body, and a capacitor for strobe flashing arranged in a space under the strobe flashing unit and between the lens barrel and an internal side wall of the body.
Furthermore, a third embodiment of the present invention is an electronic image pickup apparatus constructed according to the second embodiment of the electronic image pickup apparatus, wherein the axial direction of the capacitor for strobe flashing is approximately parallel to the component sides of the electrical boards.
A fourth embodiment of the present invention is constructed according to the first embodiment of the electronic image pickup apparatus, wherein an electrical board arranged in the side of the apparatus which is placed near a subject, relative to the remainder of the plurality of electrical boards, has a power supply circuit mounted thereto, and further has a notched part for avoiding interference with the lens barrel.
A fifth embodiment of the present invention is constructed according to the first embodiment of the electronic image pickup apparatus, further comprising a plurality of connecting terminals installed at predetermined positions on the plurality of electrical boards and arranged so that some of the plurality of connecting terminals may be exposed to the exterior of the body, and an element for attaching a tripod arranged in a space that is surrounded by the plurality of connecting terminals and forming part of a bottom part of the body.
A sixth embodiment of the present invention is constructed according to the fifth embodiment of the electronic image pickup apparatus, wherein a connecting terminal installed on the electrical board among the plurality of connecting terminals is a power input terminal for supplying power from an external power supply.
The above and further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description.
The present invention can provide an electronic image pickup apparatus that is miniaturized by efficiently arranging the internal components in the electronic image pickup apparatus.
In addition, the present invention can sufficiently secure a space necessary for arranging components such as an electrical board inside the electronic image pickup apparatus, and can efficiently arrange a power supply battery inside the body of the apparatus without wastefulness. Therefore, the present invention can provide an electronic image pickup apparatus that can be miniaturized without various essential functions of the electronic image pickup apparatus being impaired.